–could facilitate up to 10 tonnes, says Minister Edghill

A CRITICAL piece of infrastructure which serves a conduit for traffic to and from Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), the Pirara bridge, part of which collapsed recently, has been restored to facilitate light traffic, according to Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill.
On April 11, the southern section of the 160-foot-long wooden structure caved under the pressure of a heavy-duty truck, which was attempting to cross the bridge that serves as a direct link between Lethem and Annai. Minister Edghill, in an invited comment on Wednesday, said that while the bridge is reopened to traffic, it could only facilitate weight of up 10 tonnes, as works are ongoing to get the bridge back up to its full capacity of 30 tonnes.
Following the incident last week, the Ministry of Public Works mobilised key partners and staff in Region Nine, in an effort to commence immediate repairs to the important bridge. The ministry in a previous statement had noted that unsuitable weather patterns in the region were likely to pose some challenges with regard to the intended execution and completion of repairs.

Back in November 2019, sections of the Pirara bridge also suffered damage. At that time, the public works ministry, then referred to as the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, had executed a series of repairs to restore the structural integrity of the bridge.
Those repairs lasted for more than two weeks and saw replacement of the upright piles that support the bridge, in addition to horizontal beams.
Meanwhile, Minister Edghill informed reporters on Sunday evening that even prior to the collapse of the bridge, the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led government had commenced a programme to assess all the wooden bridges between Kurupukari and Lethem.
The aim, Edghill related, was to kick-start the replacement of timber bridges with solid, concrete structures, specifically within the hinterland regions.
The minister acknowledged the fragility of timber bridges, and the fact that damage often results in communities being “cut off.”